Bayonne voters have been casting ballots in huge numbers in the city runoff election to determine who controls City Hall. Some are even predicting about 15,000 votes, an anomaly, according to sources. Historically, such a turnout means bad news for the incumbent, but it could also mean a close finish because the Hudson County Democratic Organization is working hard... Full story »

In short while, former Assemblyman Louis Manzo will be addressing the Historic Paulus Hook Association at Ss. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Jersey City, in his second book signing in Hudson County. This evening’s event starts at 7 p.m. The book is “Ruthless Ambition: The Rise and Fall of Chris Christie,” and its author has been on a book... Full story »

What you can take out of this primary election can be found in the Democratic Party race results for Hudson County Board of Freeholders. Lightning struck for 5th District incumbent Freeholder Anthony Romano of Hoboken who pulled an upset. More important, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop passed a big test. Three incumbents ran off the official Democratic line, Jose... Full story »

It was an obvious display of strength in numbers, a need to inject courage in the faithful followers of Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith and his City Council. Thursday evening at the people-laden Chandelier catering hall, Smith and company worked hard to bolster a sagging spirit after the soul-crushing results of the May election that forced a June 10 runoff... Full story »

Jeff Bell, after two unsuccessful shots at a U.S. Senate seat in 1978 and 1982, is back for a third try at becoming a member of the exclusive club of 100. He hopes to win the GOP candidacy in Tuesday’s primary and take on U.S. Sen. Cory Booker in November. Thursday, Bell, 70, met with members of The Jersey... Full story »

Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith has come out with his first video ad for the runoff race against his rival, Police Capt. Jimmy Davis. In a real hometown, U.S.A. spot, Smith stands outdoors with his wife, Patty, and reminds us about the debt he says his administration cut, the no-tax budget he had approved, and what a wonderful place Bayonne... Full story »

Remember that Steve Fulop video campaign ad that showed him diving into the Hudson River and swimming to Lower Manhattan and back. It was during the councilman's successful bid last year to unseat Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. The man who came up with this idea is being called the best political ad man around in a New York... Full story »

It was obvious at Tuesday’s annual Hudson County Democratic Organization dinner that the club members feel they have restored the luster of what was once arguably the most powerful political gang in New Jersey. For the past decade or so, the party has been seen by many as more jester than king. The evening’s constant verbal backslapping seemed almost... Full story »

You don’t often get them together, but Mayors and state Sens. Nick Sacco of North Bergen and Brian Stack of Union City are getting together Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Washington County Park to announce they are both endorsing Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise for re-election in 2015, sources said. It was not hard to figure out what this... Full story »

The biggest event of the week was the Bayonne municipal election and the public flogging of Mayor Mark Smith. Smith actually came away with a miniscule vote majority, 48.7 to Police Capt. Jimmy Davis’ 47.3 share, but not a victory. A runoff for an incumbent camp that had tons of money and Hudson County administration support is like a... Full story »

There’s so much blood in the water after the Bayonne election yesterday that you can assume Mayor Mark Smith is dead. Was that frank enough for you? OK, how about the obvious? The results were a runoff between Smith and Police Capt. Jimmy Davis. It was also not thumbs up for any candidate but rather a rejection of the... Full story »

Using a misplaced cliché, let’s say the Bayonne municipal election results are like kissing your sister. Mayor Mark Smith and Police Capt. Jimmy Davis are puckering up because they finished one and two with neither achieving more than 50 percent of the vote. Anthony Zanowic, manager of the Hudson Lanes on the city line, came in a distant third.... Full story »

Hudson County Freeholder Jose Munoz of West New York was on the warpath at Thursday’s county meeting. Most of the antics were in caucus where he attacked the quiet hiring of town Commissioner Fior D’Aliza Frias as an aide in the county Legal Department. You can watch the whole incident in the video above from Hudson County TV Commissioner... Full story »

Yesterday, Union City Freeholder candidate Jose Falto voiced his disappointment, to put it mildly, with the Jersey City-based Hispanic Political Action Committee (HPAC) endorsement on Friday of a trio of Hispanic candidates for freeholder in the Democratic primary, none of whom were called Jose Falto. Falto said HPAC never interviewed him for an endorsement. It seems that there is... Full story »

Jose “Cheito” Falto of Union City is in a combative mood. It’s all about his campaign to challenge incumbent Freeholder Tilo Rivas in the Democratic Party primary for the 6th District seat. Rivas is part of the powerful North Hudson organization headed by Union City Mayor and state Sen. Brian Stack. There is definitely no love lost between Stack... Full story »

In the summer of 2013, I wrote about how anti-crime rallies in Jersey City were all the rage. There had been a number of African-Americans shot to death, which had people feeling trapped in their homes and fearing for the lives of their children. Anti-crime initiatives took on a competitive, political nature with rival rallies, each trying to outdo... Full story »

In the summer of 2013, I wrote about how anti-crime rallies in Jersey City were all the rage. There had been a number of African-Americans shot to death, which had people feeling trapped in their homes and fearing for the lives of their children. Anti-crime initiatives took on a competitive, political nature with rival rallies, each trying to outdo... Full story »

Just when I thought the days of the political machinations of the tag team of Bobby Jackson and Joe Cardwell were a thing of the past, an incident pops up to suggest a new pairing of movers and — if you pardon the unintentional pun — alleged specialists of political “black ops.” Fliers extolling the virtues of freeholder candidate... Full story »

Updates: A correction and an added note or two. Members of the public attending Thursday’s Hudson County Board of Freeholders meeting were unaware that a subtle drama was unfolding. It should have been dawning on everyone that the county administration of Executive Tom DeGise has lost control over the governing body. Instead of rubber-stamping administration measures — as county... Full story »

"Chaos" is the word often used when discussing the two-year shutdown of the Pulaski Skyway beginning Saturday. Senate President Steve Sweeney says the word is appropriate, but adds that local businesses could mitigate the impact by volunteering to stagger work hours for their employees. Full story »